The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) plays a vital role in preserving cultural heritage around the world, especially amid a tumultuous global landscape, said UNESCO director-general Khaled El-Enany in Beijing.
El-Enany visited east China's Hangzhou, Beijing and Shanghai from May 11 to 14, his fourth time in the country and first time as UNESCO director-general.
Speaking with China Central Television (CCTV) during the visit, he said the organization has several important responsibilities in terms of protecting cultural heritage around the world during crises.
"In crises, I think UNESCO has three roles to play -- a preventive role, to avoid these conflicts and to build resilience in communities like SIDS (Small Island Developing States) to face the climate change. And then we have another role that unfortunately is becoming bigger and bigger, [which] is intervention during crises because there are too many, unfortunately, so as to ensure the continuity of education, the protection of scientific ecosystems, and heritage sites and the safety of journalists. Then we have another role of reconstruction and rehabilitation of the social tissue of the country," he said.
The director-general said they are pooling all possible resources to achieve their goal.
"It's a very difficult and complex role. We are doing this role with our partners from government but with the private sector as well. So, it's a very challenging time. I think UNESCO, we have a role to protect the cultural assets, either they are heritage sites or intangible cultural heritage elements or creative industries. And this is by raising awareness, by capacity building, by fostering international collaboration, by setting the norms that support the local communities and sharing best practices between countries. So, using technology is an opportunity as well to advance and to protect the site. We have a role to preserve, but also to safeguard and protect heritage around the world," El-Enany said.
UNESCO plays key role in protecting cultural heritage in crises: director-general
The 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Ministers Responsible for Trade Meeting concluded in east China's Suzhou on Saturday, yielding fruitful results and laying significant groundwork for the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in November.
The trade ministers' meeting focused on "building an open and predictable regional and multilateral economic and trade order" and "fostering new engines of innovative and dynamic trade and investment cooperation."
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao briefed the media on the meeting's outcomes at a press conference.
Wang said the meeting issued a joint statement titled the Suzhou Statement, and approved the latest edition of the APEC Roadmap for Innovative, Competitive and Resilient Services.
All parties agreed to advance policy innovation and reform in services trade, build an open and predictable investment environment, improve regional trade facilitation and supply chain resilience, strengthen standards coordination, and enhance intellectual property protection, Wang told the media.
He also said that substantial progress was made on a framework document for regional digital trade cooperation and the ministers emphasized promoting inclusive AI development, strengthening AI-related trade, and bridging the digital divide to ensure shared benefits from digital transformation.
The minister noted that the outcomes of the meeting demonstrated strong cooperation willingness, highlighted an innovation-oriented approach, and reflected inclusiveness and shared benefits. "The fact that Asia-Pacific economies can come together, uphold the original aspiration of promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation while supporting economic growth and prosperity, and engage in in-depth discussions on the important issue of 'where multilateral and regional economic and trade cooperation is headed,' fully demonstrates that open regionalism and true multilateralism enjoy broad support, and that mutual success and shared development serve the fundamental interests of all economies," Wang said.
2026 APEC trade ministers' meeting concludes with fruitful results
